DNE Brings Much-Needed Capacity to Laitila Coating

With just over 100 employees, Laitila Coating operates in 8,500 m² production facilities, recently expanded by an additional 1,200 m². The company is owned by Kai Salo (73%) and Petri Kallio (27%).

According to CEO Kai Salo, growth is based on long-term development and strong expertise. “Our success is built on our motivated professionals and their commitment. Our values are care, flexibility, and proactivity – and they are visible in our daily work and customer relationships,” Salo emphasises.

The company’s core competence lies in component manufacturing and comprehensive mechanical contract manufacturing. Its wide range of technologies includes punching, laser and waterjet cutting, machining, turning, bending, joining technologies, and assembly – with in-house surface treatment as a major competitive advantage. Busbar manufacturing in copper and aluminium, combined with surface treatment, has been a key driver of growth. The company serves around 200 active customers, mainly international companies in the electrical engineering and power electronics industries, as well as significant domestic players.

In addition to copper, the materials processed include aluminium, brass, and a wide range of steels, including stainless steel.

“About one third of our production is direct export. A significant share of our domestic customers’ products also ends up in export markets,” Salo explains and continues: “Sales and marketing are continuous processes. The focus has increasingly shifted towards growing international business while further strengthening existing customer relationships.”

“Our production runs mainly in three shifts almost continuously, but capacity can be flexibly increased or decreased when needed,” Salo explains.

Despite intensifying competition, the company sees the market outlook as positive. This emphasises the importance of focusing on core strategy and the right customer segments. “Manufacturing development is continuous, and we invest significant resources in it,” Salo highlights.

The new DNE machine has brought, above all, increased capacity and improved quality. It enables the company to respond to growing demand and increasing competition while strengthening its position in international markets.

The new DNE has brought Laitila Coating, above all, more capacity and quality. This enables the company to meet the challenges of increasing competition and demand and to strengthen its position in international markets.

One of the latest investments in manufacturing development is a new fibre laser cutting machine. In November, Laitila Coating invested in the 12 kW DNE D-Soar 1530. The machine has a working area of 1,500 × 3,000 mm and is widely used for cutting copper sheets up to 10 mm thick.

This was a clear capacity investment. “We needed more capacity, especially for cutting thicker copper sheets. Compared to our previous equipment, the new machine is 4–9 times faster, and it has been in heavy use from day one in 24/7 production. It has performed very well in demanding tasks, and we are extremely satisfied with it,” Salo says.

According to Salo, the decision was influenced by the supplier’s expertise and consultative approach, as well as a strong price-performance ratio. “The machine belongs to the same technology family as Bystronic, which strengthened our confidence in the solution. In the final stage of decision-making, there were practically no other alternatives,” Salo explains.

The machine was supplied by Tampereen Konetekniikka Oy (Tretec). According to Salo, the project progressed smoothly from order to installation and training.

“We were able to get up to speed quickly. We already had a good understanding of the technology, and the supplier prepared us well. Overall, the delivery was successful,” Salo says.

The new DNE has delivered what was needed most: increased capacity and improved quality. This allows Laitila Coating to meet the challenges of growing demand and intensifying competition while strengthening its position in international markets.

“The market outlook remains positive. Investments in manufacturing development are a continuous part of our operations. The DNE supports this strategy extremely well,” Salo concludes.